*QUESTION: How can I detect the existence of a file by syntax?
*ANSWER: posted to SPSS newsgroup by rlevesque@videotron.ca on 2001/05/15.
* First save the following file as "c:\temp\isfile.sps".
*------------ beginning of "c:\temp\isfile.sps".
GET FILE='d:\temp\mydatafile.sav'.
* replace the above with the path and name of the file you wish to check the existence.
DEFINE !isfile()'yes'!ENDDEFINE.
*------------ end of "c:\temp\isfile.sps".
********************.
* The first time the following syntax is ran, the file mydata.sav does not exists.
********************.
DATA LIST LIST /dummy.
BEGIN DATA
1
END DATA.
DEFINE !isfile()'no'!ENDDEFINE.
INCLUDE 'c:\temp\isfile.sps'.
STRING mydata(A14).
DO IF !isfile='yes'.
* File exists.
COMPUTE mydata="exists".
ELSE.
* File does not exists.
COMPUTE mydata="does not exist".
END IF.
EXECUTE.
********************.
* Now create the file before to prove the syntax detects its existence.
********************.
DATA LIST LIST /dummy.
BEGIN DATA
1
END DATA.
SAVE OUTFILE='d:\temp\mydatafile.sav'.
DEFINE !isfile()'no'!ENDDEFINE.
INCLUDE 'c:\temp\isfile.sps'.
STRING mydata(A14).
DO IF !isfile='yes'.
* File exists.
COMPUTE mydata="exists".
ELSE.
* File does not exists.
COMPUTE mydata="does not exist".
END IF.
EXECUTE.